Obama officials outline proposed fuel efficiency rules for new cars and trucks

WASHINGTON — With global talks on climate change looming, the Obama administration sought to gain momentum Tuesday by unveiling its plan to require better gas mileage for cars and trucks and the first-ever rules on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

EPA plans stricter limits on power plant water pollution citing harm to water and wildlife

WASHINGTON — For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to limit the quantity of toxic metals that coal-fired power plants release into waterways.

BASF gets EPA approval for herbicide designed to tackle resistant broadleaf weeds

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — German chemical company BASF SE says it has received U.S. approval to market a new herbicide to battle broadleaf weeds resistant to a chemical in commonly used herbicides like Roundup.

Oil-rich Norway’s premier vows to fight climate change after re-election

OSLO — Norway’s prime minister on Tuesday said fighting climate change would be a priority in his second term after his left-leaning government beat a splintered opposition to win re-election.

Interior Dept. unveils strategy to cope with climate change’s toll on land, wildlife

WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar moved Monday to prepare the nation’s parks, refuges and endangered species for the onslaught of global warming.

Appeals court blocks land swap between BLM and miner Asarco, citing bad environmental analysis

PHOENIX — A federal appeals court ruled Monday that a proposed land exchange between the federal Bureau of Land Management and copper miner Asarco LLC violates environmental laws.

Sweden urges US Senate to act quickly on energy bill to help global talks on climate change

STOCKHOLM — Sweden’s environment minister urged the U.S. Senate on Monday to pass legislation to control greenhouse gases, saying a delay in the vote is impeding negotiations on a new international climate treaty.

At world court, Argentina says Uruguay broke international law by authorizing pulp mills

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Argentina argued Monday at the U.N.’s highest court that Uruguay “flagrantly breached” international law by authorizing the construction of two pulp mills on the river that separates the two countries.

Carbon price drops 33 percent in 5th auction of year-old Northeast regional group

ALBANY, N.Y. — The price of carbon allowances dropped 33 percent in the latest quarterly auction held by 10 Northeastern states in an initiative to reduce greenhouse gases in the region.

EPA puts limits on 3 common farm pesticides to protect salmon in the West

SEATTLE — The Environmental Protection Agency revealed new limits Friday on three pesticides commonly used on western farms to protect endangered and threatened Pacific salmon.

In warming Arctic, 2 German ships traversing Northeast Passage

FRANKFURT — Two German merchant ships have traversed the fabled Northeast Passage after global warming and melting ice opened a route from South Korea along Russia’s Arctic coast to Siberia.

Survey shows high dioxin levels at Agent Orange hotspot near former US air base in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam — New environmental tests confirm extremely high levels of dioxin, the toxic ingredient of Agent Orange, in people, fish and soil near a former U.S. air base where American troops stored the herbicide during the Vietnam War.

UN climate chief calls for bigger greenhouse gas cuts by rich countries to reach global deal

DALIAN, China — Rich countries must commit to deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions if they want China and India to sign onto an accord to curb global warming, the top U.N. climate official said Friday.

Space shuttle Discovery skips landing because of bad weather in Fla., next chance Friday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Bad weather prevented space shuttle Discovery from returning home Thursday and kept its astronauts circling the world for at least an extra day.

Scientists work to unravel what’s behind Greenland’s mysterious melt, at glacial pace

HELHEIM GLACIER, Greenland — Suddenly and without warning, the gigantic river of ice sped up, causing it to spit icebergs ever faster into the ocean off southeastern Greenland.

Car dealers, business group appeal EPA decision letting California toughen emission rules

WASHINGTON — Auto dealers and business leaders on Thursday appealed a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency that allowed California to establish the nation’s first greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks, setting the stage for a potential attempt to block the global warming rules.

Obama’s top climate negotiator urges Senate to act quickly on energy bill to help global talks

WASHINGTON — With negotiations on a new international climate treaty proving difficult, the Obama administration’s chief climate negotiator on Thursday called on the Senate to act as soon as possible and pass legislation to control the gases blamed for global warming.

Space shuttle Discovery dodges ‘mysterious’ orbiting junk on trip back to Earth

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — With thunderstorms looming back home, shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven sidestepped a small piece of space junk Thursday then aimed for an evening touchdown that was in jeopardy because of the weather.

Space shuttle Discovery to dodge ‘mysterious’ orbiting junk on trip back to Earth

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has decided to move the shuttle Discovery out of the way of a mystery piece of orbiting junk before the spacecraft heads for a scheduled landing on Earth.

EU offers billions to poor nations to persuade them to sign climate change accord

BRUSSELS — The European Union proposed Thursday to offer up to euro15 billion ($21.8 billion) a year in aid to poor developing countries to persuade them to sign a new global climate change agreement.

EU proposes euro15 billion in climate aid to entice poor countries

BRUSSELS — The European Union proposed Thursday to offer up to euro15 billion ($21.8 billion) a year in aid to poor developing countries to persuade them to sign a new global climate change agreement.

EU proposes €15 billion in climate aid to entice poor countries

BRUSSELS — The European Union proposed Thursday to offer up to €15 billion ($21.8 billion) a year in aid to poor developing countries to persuade them to sign a new global climate change agreement.

Monsanto expands plan to cut work force by 8 percent, up from previous plan to cut 4 percent

ST. LOUIS — Monsanto Co., the world’s biggest seed maker, said Thursday it plans to make deeper work force cuts than previously announced, saying it will reduce its staff by about 8 percent to cut costs.

EU countries step up diplomatic efforts to reach a new global climate pact

COPENHAGEN — Fearing that a possible global deal on climate change is in danger, European foreign ministers announced Thursday they were stepping up efforts to make sure that nations around the world face up to global warming.

China could be $1 trillion a year market for green technologies, report says

SHANGHAI — China potentially could be a $500 billion to $1 trillion a year market for environmentally sustainable “green technologies,” a group of businesses and experts said in a report Thursday that urges governments to ease the way for such initiatives.

France’s Sarkozy pushes ahead with contested, ambitious plan to tax carbon emissions

PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tax carbon dioxide emissions by households and businesses, a measure aimed at helping France slash its output greenhouse gases over the coming decades — but viewed with skepticism by many.

Leaks, electrical problems have oldest US nuclear plant showing its age

LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — As the nation’s oldest nuclear power plant shows its age, some call it Oyster Creak.

Federal regulators seek better ways to spot leaks in buried pipes at all US nuclear plants

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Federal regulators say they’re looking for better ways to detect leaks from buried pipes at nuclear power plants.

NRC finds no spread of contamination from 1st of 2 leaks at Oyster Creek nuclear plant in NJ

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Federal regulators say the first of two leaks of radioactive tritium this year at the nation’s oldest nuclear power plant did not spread contamination beyond the plant’s grounds.

Petition advances to list walrus as endangered due to warming, loss of sea ice

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A second Arctic marine mammal moved closer to an Endangered Species listing due to global warming Tuesday with a petition to grant the Pacific walrus protection passing its first review.